


From A Certain Child's Point of View:  The Marshal

by Lailuva



Series: From The Child's Point of View [11]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Adorable Grogu | Baby Yoda, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, POV Grogu | Baby Yoda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-21 09:53:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30019950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lailuva/pseuds/Lailuva
Summary: He's so happy nowadays.  Life is the best with his Dad!  Now they're off on more exciting adventures, but most importantly, they're together.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Grogu | Baby Yoda
Series: From The Child's Point of View [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1592260
Comments: 62
Kudos: 136





	1. The Arena

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back to Season 2 of ACCPOV! I'm so happy by how much people enjoyed season 1 and I hope you enjoy this one just as much. :)
> 
> Yes, I will be doing the whole season, in case you missed me confirming that on [my Tumblr](https://ooops-i-arted.tumblr.com/).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Off on another adventure with Dad! They might go bad places, but as long as they're together, it's all right.

The place they go to this time is very dark. The sun has already gone to bed and the only light is from harsh yellow lamps. There are pictures on the walls, but not pretty ones, mean faces and bad droids scribbled everywhere. It’s gloomy and shadowy and there are monsters in the dark - creepy growly monsters that won’t come into the light and all he can see are their spooky red eyes.

He’s not scared though. He doesn’t have to be. He’s with his Dad.

Dad doesn’t make him stay in the ship, not anymore. Dad has decided he gets to go on all the jobs and to all the places! Dad even got him a new pod so he doesn’t have to walk a long ways all the time. At first he didn’t like it, because he wanted Dad to carry him instead of being trapped in the dark all the time. But Dad only closes the pod when Dad has to fight people; otherwise he gets to stay out and see everything! Dad even showed him the button so he can close the pod himself when mean people try to fight Dad. Now he always goes everywhere Dad does, and it’s the best. It’s so much better than every other pod, where he had to stay inside for a long long time even when he got hungry or scared or sad.

The pod floats after as Dad walks up to a door, where a brown-skinned noodle-head is standing. Dad says they are called Twi’leks but he still thinks their lekku look like yucky noodles he doesn’t like to eat. “I’m here to see Gor Karesh,” says Dad.

The noodle-head looks down at him.  _ Dad wants to see Gor Karesh, _ he tells the noodle-head, in case noodle-head’s ears can’t hear under his funny hat.

The noodle-head stares at him, long enough he wonders if Dad will just shoot the noodle-head. Dad doesn’t like people staring at him like that. But the noodle-head just says “Enjoy the fights” and opens the door.

_ Fights? _ he asks, but Dad just walks in and his pod floats after.

Immediately he sees what the noodle-head meant. The big room is packed full of people except in the middle, where two big green people are fighting with huge axes under bright lights and colorful flags. They hit each other again and again, while everyone else yells and cheers. It’s so loud! He’s glad his pod stays by Dad as they walk through the people. He doesn’t like it, and he knows Dad doesn’t either. Dad never likes lots of people close together like this.

They walk right in front of the arena and the green people are hitting each other really hard. One knocks the other down. Is he going to kill the other one? Or is it just a play-fight like Yarull and his friends would have?

The green person gets up and attacks again, but gets hit again, harder and harder. The people all yell louder every time and it hurts his ears. They like seeing the green person get hurt! He doesn’t understand. This isn’t fun to watch. He wishes Dad would tell them to stop.

But Dad only walks over to a person with one eye and dark green skin and sits beside him. The pod stops and he can still see the fighting.

“You know this is no place for a child,” says One Eye.

Dad tells him, “Wherever I go, he goes.” That is what Dad tells people now that he doesn’t stay on the ship. This is how it’s supposed to be, anyway. Gold Helmet said they were a clan of two. It’s always going to be him and his Dad.

He watches the fighting while Dad talks. Dad always says the same thing: Dad has been quested to take him to his kind and wants to find other Mandalorians to help. He doesn’t pay a lot of attention anymore because Dad always says the same things and people always respond the same way. Some people will talk to Dad and tell him where to go or say no thank you. And some people try to fight Dad or shoot him. Dad always kills them when they do that. He has to close his pod so he doesn’t see, but he knows.

The green person hits the other really hard. He can sense it hurts so bad.  _ Watch out! _ he says, but the green person gets knocked down again. The people shout louder and louder. They want the green person to be hurt. They like seeing people get hurt.

“Kill him! Finish him!” shouts One Eye. The green person tries, but the other rolls away.

He looks at Dad. Isn’t Dad going to do anything?

“Do you gamble, Mando?” asks One Eye.

“Not when it can be avoided,” says Dad.

One Eye laughs. “Well I’ll bet you the information you seek that this Gamorrean’s gonna die within the next minute and a half. And all you have to put up in exchange is your shiny beskar armor.”

Oh no. People want Dad’s pretty armor sometimes. And when that happens, there is always shooting.

Dad doesn’t sigh but he feels like he wants to. “I’m prepared to pay you for the information. I’m not leaving my fate up to chance.”

“Nor am I,” says One Eye, and he shoots the Gamorrean who is still standing, and the four people around them stand up and point their blasters right at Dad!

All the other people scream and run away, scared now that the fighting isn’t just in the arena for them to watch. Dad doesn’t move, so neither does he. He wonders if he can push all the people away from Dad, or if he should just close the pod and hide until Dad is done killing them.

“Thank you for coming to me,” says One Eye. “Normally I have to seek out remnants of you Mandalorians in your hidden hives to harvest your precious shiny shells. Beskar’s value continues to rise. I’ve grown quite fond of it. Give it to me now, or I will peel it off your corpse.”

People always want beskar; he’s figured out it’s what Dad’s pretty shiny armor is made out of. He doesn’t understand why they want it, though. It’s pretty but can’t they just get pretty shiny metal pieces from their ships like he does? Besides, you can’t just take things from other people because you want it. That’s what Dad said when he took a whole big bundle of yummy frogs from a food stall once.

“Tell me where the Mandalorians are and I’ll walk out of here without killing you,” Dad says.

“I thought you said you weren’t a gambler,” says One Eye.

Dad’s gauntlet lights up blue. He knows what that means. Dad is done talking. He presses the button and the pod shuts up tight.

“I’m not,” he hears Dad say, and then the shooting starts.

Something bumps the pod and he is thrown back as it goes flying. He grumbles but it doesn’t bother him much; Dad probably just wanted him away from blasters. Even though he gets to go on jobs now, Dad still keeps him away from blasters and definitely doesn’t let him have his own. He must not be big enough yet, because he only ever sees grown-ups with blasters. Maybe when he is big enough, he won’t have to hide in the pod anymore. He can have his own blaster and he can help Dad fight.

But then he would have to kill people. That makes him feel scared and funny-sick in his tummy. Maybe he’s not ready for a blaster yet after all.

Dad is killing the people. He isn’t seeing it, but he can sense it. He can always sense life and now one, two, more lives are Gone. He doesn’t like it, but if Dad didn’t kill them, they would kill Dad, and that is much, much worse.

The pod moves. It is following Dad - he can always sense Dad, he’s very good at it - but Dad doesn’t open it. Not yet. Dad won’t open it until the mean people are gone or dead and he is safe again.

All these people are so mean. He wishes Dad wouldn’t talk to mean people anymore. But Dad is trying to find other Mandalorians. He looks for them when the pod is open but he never sees any. He’s not even entirely sure what a Mandalorian is, except that Dad is one and so was Gold Helmet. They wear the special armor, with similar shapes in the helmets and armor they never take off. But then again, Gold Helmet says he was a foundling. Is he a Mandalorian too? He doesn’t have a special helmet or armor. He would ask Dad if he could have one, if only he had words. But no matter how hard he tries, Dad doesn’t understand anything he says.

Suddenly he hears shouting. He can’t hear the words through the pod, but they sound scared. They  _ feel _ scared, through his sense with no name. And then he hears growling! He remembers those creepy eyes, and in the dark of the pod it almost feels like they will get him too… 

No, he’s with Dad, he reminds himself. He doesn’t have to be afraid.

It’s not too long before the pod opens again and he can see they are back on the ship. Dad takes him out and tucks him in his arm. Now he is warm and safe again, and he smiles as Dad climbs up the ladder and puts him in his chair.

_ But I want to ride with you, _ he says, pointing at the dashboard.

“Oh, all right. Turbulence shouldn’t be too bad.” Dad picks him up and puts him on the dashboard of the ship. Now he can see everything! He won’t touch anything, though, because Dad only lets him stay here if he is good. He won’t even touch the ball, even though it is so shiny and beautiful and he wants it. But Dad only lets him have it sometimes, and not when he’s flying.

Dad makes the ship go and the dark falls behind. Now the stars are glittering in front of them, bright as all the pretty lights on the dashboard and the blue screen Dad is always paying attention to. “Setting course for Tatooine,” Dad says, pressing buttons and making new pictures appear on the screen. “Hopefully this won’t be a disaster like last time.”

_ I hope so, _ he says, even though he’s not sure what a disaster is.

“Course set in,” says Dad. “Let’s go.”

He watches Dad pull the lever and the stars turn into lines and then pretty blue hyperspace. He waits patiently for Dad to stop pressing buttons before holding out his arms.

Even if Dad can’t understand his words, Dad knows what that means. Dad picks him up and holds him. They sit in the cockpit, and he is warm and safe and happy, and Dad is happy too because they are together.

No matter what, they are always together, and nothing can ever change that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Actual footage of me writing the last line of this chapter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj-5Syejsio)  
> See this is why I waited til after the season finished to start. I look forward to breaking you. >:)
> 
> Next time: Visiting an old friend and taking a fun speederbike ride.


	2. The Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting an old friend, and a few new ones.

The dusty gold planet ahead looks familiar. He tries to remember as they fly closer and closer, sitting on the dashboard again because he was good and ate his food without making a mess. There is lots of desert and dust and rocks. Are they going back to Kuiil’s planet? But Kuiil isn’t there anymore. It makes him sad until the ship circles above a big hole in the ground and as they lower down to land he realizes why this looks so familiar. This is where Peli lives!

He is halfway to the ladder to go down into his pod when Dad says no. He takes the brown bag off of the back seat instead. “Come here,” says Dad.

_ No. _ He scowls. He doesn’t like the bag. He goes bump bump against the hard armor every time Dad walks and he doesn’t like it. He’d rather have the pod.

“Come here,” Dad says in the definitely-firm voice.

He has to listen. He doesn’t like it but he walks over and lets Dad pick him up and tuck him in the bag. Even his arms have to stay in the bag, because of the time he tried to press the buttons on Dad’s gauntlet. He grumbles but stays put.

“Jate,” says Dad, patting his head, and that makes it a little better.

Even better is when Dad walks out of the ship, because he can hear a familiar voice calling, “Sorry, gang! Come on, you know he doesn’t like droids.” It’s Peli!

Dad turns just enough while telling Peli to let the droids look at the ship and he can see - it  _ is _ Peli! She was always so nice. He’s glad Fuzzy Eyebrows didn’t shoot her, or anyone else either.

Peli tells the droids to go look at the ship and Dad pauses to let them walk past. “I guess a lot has changed since you were last in Mos -” says Peli, but then Dad pulls the bag out so he can see her. _ Hi Peli! _

“Oh ho!” Peli shouts, smiling hugely.

_ Peli Peli hi hi! _ he says, so excited. She’s still as nice and friendly as he remembers and she even takes him right out of the bag! “Thank the Force! This little thing has had me worried sick!”

The word Force sounds familiar but he has no time to think about it, he has to tell Peli hi. “Come here you little womp rat!” Peli says as she holds him, smiling so big and feeling so happy to his sense with no name.  _ I’m happy to see you too! _ he tells her.

“Looks like it remembers me,” says Peli.

_ Of course I do, _ he tells her.

“How much do you want for it?”

_ Hey! I belong with Dad! _

“Just kidding. But not really. If this thing ever divides or buds, I will gladly pay for the offspring,” says Peli.

_ You’re so silly, _ he tells her.

“Hey!” Peli yells at the droids; he looks over and they are opening the ship. Dad will not like that. “Oh, sheez. Watch what you’re doing up there! He barely trusts your kind!”

_ That’s true, _ he warns the droids. _ Dad will blow you up if you mess up the ship. _

“What, you wanna give all droids a bad name? Thank you!” Peli continues as one of the droids gets knocked over by a big tube. He giggles.

“I’m here on business. I need your help,” Dad says now that Peli stops talking for a moment.

“Oh, then business you shall have! Care for me to watch this wrinkled critter while you seek out adventure?” asks Peli, smiling down at him.

_ That would be fun but wherever Dad goes, I go, _ he tells her.

“I’ve been quested to bring this one back to its kind,” Dad says.

“Oh wow,” Peli says. “I can’t help you there. I’ve never seen any like it. And trust me, I’ve seen all shapes and sizes in this town.”

“A Mandalorian Armorer has set me on my path,” Din says.

_ That’s Gold Helmet, _ he tells Peli helpfully.

“If I can locate another of my kind, I can chart a path through the network of coverts,” Dad continues.

“You’ve been the only Mando here for years from what I can tell,” says Peli.

_ They look like Dad, _ he reminds her. _ With the helmet and the armor. _

“Where is Mos Pelgo? I’m told there’s one there,” Dad says.

“Oh boy, I haven’t heard that name in a while,” says Peli.

“It’s not on any of the maps,” Dad tells her. And Dad would know because he spends lots of time staring at them instead of paying attention to him.

“That’s because it was wiped out by bandits,” Peli explains. “Once the Empire fell it was a free-for-all. I didn’t dare leave the city walls. Still don’t.”

“Can you tell me where it used to be?” asks Dad.

“Depends who’s asking,” Peli says with a smile, glancing down at him. “You wanna see it?”

_ Yes, _ he says. Maps are boring but Dad likes them, so of course he wants to see it too.

“Arfive!” shouts Peli. “Bring the map of Tatooine!”

An old white-and-red droid beeps and starts coming over, buzzing loudly. _ Don’t scare Dad, _ he warns it. _ Dad doesn’t like droids. _

“No, take your time, seriously,” grumps Peli as the droid rolls over to them. “You just can’t get good help anymore. I don’t even know who to complain to!”

_ Maybe Kuiil could fix your droids like he fixed IG-11, _ he says, but thinking about them just makes him feel sad inside.

Peli keeps complaining until the droid projects a gold circle in front of them, full of swirly lines he doesn’t understand but that Dad and Peli look closely at. “This is a map of Tatooine before the war,” Peli explains, making the lines move. “You got Mos Eisley, Mos Espa, and up around this region, Mos Pelgo.”

She smiles down at him again. _ There are more Mandalorians on other planets, _ he tells her. _ There was one back on the grey planet. Are you sure you haven’t seen any? _

“I don’t see anything,” Dad says. He doesn’t like this map.

“Well it’s there. Or at least, it used to be,” Peli says. “Not much to speak of. It’s an old mining settlement. They’re gonna see that big hunk of metal long before you land.”

Peli smiles at him again, chucking his chin, and he smiles. He likes when she does that.

“You still have that speeder bike?” Dad asks.

“Sure do,” says Peli. “It’s a little rusty but I got it.”

Peli leads them over to the side, where a speeder bike is sitting on the ground. He remembers - this is the same one that Fuzzy Eyebrows brought, before he was mean and tried to shoot them. His ears droop. Is Dad going to leave him behind now? He likes Peli, but he is supposed to go with Dad now. Dad said that wherever Dad goes, he goes too.

“Do you have a spare bag to attach to the speeder?” Dad asks. “One that will fit the kid?”

“Sure,” Peli says, handing him a bag that Dad attaches to the speeder. Dad then reaches out for him. He gets to go with Dad this time? He gets to go with Dad this time!

“Oh, not without telling ole Peli good-bye, now!” says Peli, pulling him back to her. He whines but Peli chucks his chin again the way he likes. “You look after your dad, okay? Keep him out of trouble.”

_ I try, but it usually doesn’t work, _ he tells her.

“Now watch him to make sure he doesn’t get sand in his eyes. That’ll sting, and I heard Jan Marla’s cousin’s nephew went blind that way.” Peli smiles. “Can’t have that happening to your little bright eyes.”

Dad sighs, but just a little. Peli hands him over to Dad, and Dad tucks him into the bag on the speeder. _ Let’s go, Dad! I want to go fast! _

“Stay safe out there,” Peli says. Dad nods, and then they go out of the hangar.

Dad drives slow to get them out.  _ Come on, Dad, let’s go! _ But then Dad makes the speeder go whirr whirr and suddenly they’re off! Zooming fast, so fast sand flies up behind them! The wind is hitting him in the face and making his eyes blink and his ears flap flap!  _ Dad! _ he shouts. _ Dad, this is fun! _

They go up up up a big hill of sand and then fly off the top. He’s so happy he squeals; sand is everywhere as they fly downwards so fast he can barely see all the cool rocks and sand dunes they are starting to pass. _ Dad, this is the best! _

He could ride the speeder bike forever - as long as Dad was the one driving it, of course.

-

They ride for a long time. It’s still fun, even though he has to blink his eyes a lot and his whole mouth tastes like sand. They don’t stop until the two suns are going to sleep and the sky is turning orange and purple and Dad sees some big fuzzy brown creatures with people in brown robes on their backs - different brown robes, not like the mean people who stole Dad's ship a long time ago, when Dad first found him.

“We need to ask them if we can pass through the desert,” Dad says. “This is their territory. And they might be able to give us some good directions.”

_ Okay, Dad, _ he says. _ Just make sure they don’t take the speeder bike. _

Dad approaches the people, leaving him on the speeder bike. He waits for Dad to talk, but instead Dad makes a funny grunting sound! What is he doing? Then he starts waving his hands.

But instead of talking back, the brown robe people make the same grunting sound and wave their hands the same way. Then Dad does it again, and they do it back. They  _ are _ talking! They just aren’t using words, or not any words he knows.

His ears droop. He wishes he knew words, any words, so he could talk to Dad too.

Dad comes back, and they ride the speeder bike a little more to where there is a fire, more brown robe people, and big huge brown furry animals. Dad gets off the speeder bike and this time picks him up. “The Tuskens know where Mos Pelgo is,” Dad says. “They’re letting us camp with them tonight.”

They go over to the fire; Dad sits and he stands by him. Dad talks to the Tuskens with his grunts and his hands some more and the Tuskens talk back. He doesn’t understand any of it. He tries waving his hands and grunting too, but no one talks back.

The Tuskens give Dad some of the meat over the fire and Dad gives it to him to eat. Then Dad takes him over to the speeder bike, sitting down and leaning against it and folding his arms and letting him stay in his lap. “Stay here,” Dad says. “Don’t wander off. Get some sleep.”

He tries it again, grunting and waving his hands. But Dad just chuckles and pats his head before leaning back again and starting to snore.

He curls up in Dad’s lap with a sigh. Dad always talks to him, and he always talks back, but sometimes he wishes Dad could really understand what he says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kuiil is gone but not forgotten, at least in my fic!! #KuiilDeservedBetter
> 
> Although Peli is probably my most favorite side character and I hope she's in the Book of Boba Fett. Just like, harassing him about Slave I and complaining about his new policies on Tatooine.
> 
> Next time: finding a Mandalorian who isn't a Mandalorian.


End file.
